


Listen

by periferal



Series: Branwen [2]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Depression, Dysfunctional Relationships, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hurt No Comfort, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-25
Updated: 2016-08-25
Packaged: 2018-08-11 00:02:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7866934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/periferal/pseuds/periferal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>“Don’t you remember?” Taiyang asked, “Or did you just come here apropos of nothing?”</em><br/>“I come here as often- that doesn’t matter, what do you think I’ve forgotten?” She stepped closer to him. She was now close enough that he could hear the sound of her breath hitting her mask.<br/>Taiyang bit back what he was pretty sure would be a sob if he let it out. “It’s been four years now,” he said. “I wonder if that’s what spurred Yang to go in search of you, knowing that today is coming up.” He added the last part mostly to himself. </p><p> </p><p>--</p><p>Raven finds Taiyang sleeping on Summer's grave.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Listen

**Author's Note:**

> some more exploring of what i feel like might have gone down pre-canon. 
> 
> short stuff in between updates of my longer fics, basically.
> 
> Note: I wrote this before we learned more about what Raven's up to. I had the headcanon that she was working for Salem, and lowkey shipped Salem/Raven. Obviously that is no longer the case.

“And my brother says I am negligent,” he heard, feeling a sharp kick in his side. Taiyang stretched, pushing himself to a sitting position. It was early morning, he must have fallen asleep. 

There was a fresh layer of snow on the ground. His coat was damp. “Raven?” he asked. She was standing over him, that mask still covering her face.

“What are you doing here?” she asked. She sounded as toneless as one of James's automatons. 

“I was saying hello,” Taiyang said. “I must have fallen asleep.” He looked down, away from her. He traced the inscription on the stone next to him.  _ Summer Rose _ .

“Don't you have children to take care of?” Raven asked in that same clipped tone. “Or is my brother more than just a hypocrite, but a liar when he curses me for my supposed culpability?”

“Ruby and Yang are  _ fine _ without me for a day,” Taiyang said. He knew that he was in the weaker position, but he had to trust she would not attack him. Not here. “I never leave for long.” Seeing Raven here induced more anger than he expected. There was none of the relief or guilt that he had felt at previous occasions. She had never insulted him before, not like this. Not in this place.

“Oh so you're the perfect father them, raising your daughters with my alcoholic brother?” There was mirth in her voice, Taiyang realized. She must find him oh so comical. 

Taiyang stood. “She's your daughter too, Raven.” Qrow had told him about her fervent denials the last time he'd seen her, but hearing them himself very nearly took his breath away. 

“I am not her mother,” she insisted. Without seeming to realize it, she brought her hand up to adjust her mask. “Why are you here?” On that question he heard what could almost be called rage bleed into her voice just a little.

“Don’t you remember?” Taiyang asked, “Or did you just come here apropos of nothing?”

“I come here as often- that doesn’t matter, what do you think I’ve forgotten?” She stepped closer to him. She was now close enough that he could hear the sound of her breath hitting her mask. 

Taiyang bit back what he was pretty sure would be a sob if he let it out. “It’s been four years now,” he said. “I wonder if that’s what spurred Yang to go in search of you, knowing that today is coming up.” He added the last part mostly to himself. 

“Oh.” Raven stood frozen. He imagined her expression was one of shock behind her mask. Most likely fancy on his part, but still just a little bit comforting. It was difficult, standing like this, to remember how much he’d loved her once. “Oh.”

“I’ll leave,” Taiyang said. He shrugged awkwardly. “I’ll leave you to your mourning, now that you’ve remembered it.”

He stepped around her. They were now facing away from each other. He imagined her making an abortive gesture to reach out. “You can’t let her find me,” Raven said desperately. “Please. Why does she even know I’m still alive.”

“I don’t know,” Taiyang said, not turning back, “I’ve always mourned for you.”

“Tai...” she said. For that word, he heard the woman he’d fallen in love with in school. “Please. Don’t let her look for me.”

“You know as well as I do that I’ve failed in that. Good bye, Raven.”

He did not look back at Summer’s grave until he was too far away to make out the person standing there. “What am I doing?” he asked a crow watching him from a nearby branch. “Is she like this with you?”

It shrugged. This wasn’t as comical as it could have been.

Taiyang sighed. “How long have you been out here?” he asked the crow.

**Author's Note:**

> please review!


End file.
